Department for Transport

Railways: Compensation

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the system for compensation for passengers who have bought a ticket for their journey but whose trains have not turned up, and who have therefore (1) suffered delays by having to catch the next train, or (2) had to take a taxi to complete their journeys.

baroness sugg: Passengers who are delayed due to the cancellation of a scheduled train service but who have to travel on a subsequent train or take a taxi to complete their journey should be entitled to compensation in accordance with the Train Operating Company’s (TOC’s) published Passenger’s Charter. The passenger’s arrival time at their destination should determine their entitlement to Delay Repay compensation. The majority of TOCs operate the Delay Repay compensation system which provides compensation to the value of 50% of the ticket price for delays or cancellations when the passenger is delayed in reaching their destination by 30-59 minutes. Delay Repay 15 (DR15) additionally entitles passengers who have been delayed by 15-29 minutes to compensation worth 25% of the ticket price. The next TOC to introduce this will be Northern expected by the end of December. The rail industry has also recently launched the new Rail Ombudsman service, which will give passengers a stronger voice and help ensure they get a fair deal when disputes with train operators cannot otherwise be resolved.

Large Goods Vehicles: Tyres

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Statement byBaroness Sugg on 23 November (HLWS1075), what steps they take to ensure that the tyres on vehicles undergoing tests are not removed after the test and less compliant tyres substituted.

baroness sugg: As part of its enforcement duties, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) carries out roadside enforcement checks on buses, coaches, lorries and trailers to ensure the vehicles are being maintained to roadworthiness standards. If the DVSA identifies a vehicle, or trailer, that has a tyre fitted that is over 10 years old, it will conduct a follow up investigation with the operator. If the operator cannot provide a satisfactory explanation for using an old tyre, or their tyre management systems are not adequate, then the DVSA will consider referring them to the Office of the Traffic Commissioner.

London City Airport: Scotland

lord forsyth of drumlean: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to ask the Competition and Markets Authority to consider conducting an inquiry into passenger air services linking Scotland to London City Airport.

baroness sugg: The Government has no such plans. We believe that air passengers are best served by a commercial airline market which is able to operate in a competitive environment. This allows airlines to determine the routes that they operate, and from which airports, based on their assessment of routes’ viability. The Government recognises that air connectivity between Scotland and the rest of the UK is of real importance, and we are considering the issue of regional connectivity across the UK as we develop our upcoming Aviation Strategy.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Post Offices: Clacton

lord bassam of brighton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they have receivedabout the downgrading of the main post office in central Clacton-on-Sea.

lord henley: The Post Office in central Clacton-on-Sea is not being downgraded, but rather transferred to WHSmith so that it is operated on a franchise basis. WHSmith already operate 135 Post Office branches and the vast majority of branches, around 98% of the 11,500-branch network, are already operated by third parties on a franchise or agency basis. The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy has not received any representations on the franchising of the Post Office in Central Clacton-on-Sea. The Post Office will run a 6-week public consultation in 2019 and will notify elected representatives in due course.

Audit: Competition

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the invitation to comment by the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Competition and Markets Authority Statutory Audit Marketon the impact of increased choice in the audit market.

lord henley: It is for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), as an independent competition body, to assess responses to its invitation to comment. The Government looks forward to the CMA’s provisional findings, due to be published in due course.

Carbon Emissions

lord barker of battle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the Climate Change Act 2008 on efforts to decarbonise the UK economy.

lord henley: Since our world leading Climate Change Act became law in 2008, we have cut emissions by 29%, while growing the economy by 12%. Under the Act, we have legislated for five carbon budgets which are amongst the most stringent targets in the world. We have met the first carbon budget, and are on track to meet the second and third. The Clean Growth Strategy, published in 2017, will help us meet our stretching future targets and build on the UK’s success in cutting emissions while creating wealth.

Carbon Emissions

lord barker of battle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions over the past ten years relative to other major European economies.

lord henley: While EU Member States have all committed to taking action to reduce their emissions, the UK’s performance has been consistently strong over the past decade, reducing emissions faster than our closest European counterparts. Furthermore, PwC’s independent Low Carbon Economy Index 2018 shows that since 2000, the UK has improved the carbon intensity of its economy faster than all other G20 countries.

Climate Change

lord barker of battle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what outcome they are seeking to achieve from the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention and Climate Change; and how they intend to take a leadership role in efforts to combat climate change internationally after Brexit.

lord henley: At the 24th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the UK is committed to bringing the Paris Agreement to life by agreeing a robust set of rules that will support its implementation, and to encourage ambitious action globally. As part of this, we will be supporting a Talanoa Dialogue that results in a firm commitment that all countries will review and update their Nationally Determined Contributions in light of discussions and latest science.The UK’s deep commitment to tackling climate change will be unchanged by EU Exit. The UK will continue to be a leader on both domestic and international climate action, backed up by our strong domestic legislation and international climate finance commitments. Working with our European partners will remain very important and the UK will continue to engage strongly and proactively with multilateral groupings such as the G7, G20 and the Commonwealth. We have strong relationships with a broad range of Parties in the UNFCCC, including through progressive alliances such as the High Ambition Coalition and the Cartagena Dialogue. Furthermore, we continue to support others to implement the Paris Agreement. The UK will provide at least £5.8bn in climate finance from 2016-2020, providing support for adaptation, mitigation, technical assistance and capacity building.

Carbon Emissions

lord barker of battle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to raising the ambition of the Climate Change Act 2008 targets to 100per cent emission reductions by 2050.

lord henley: In October, just a week after the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Special Report on 1.5 degrees, we commissioned advice from our independent advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, on the implications of the Paris Agreement for our long-term emissions reduction targets, including on the setting of a net zero target. We expect to receive their response in spring 2019 and will consider their recommendations carefully.

Green Investment Group

lord barker of battle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the performance of the Green Investment Group Ltd since its sale in 2017.

lord henley: The Green Investment Group (GIG) have recently reported on their progress in the year since the completion of their sale in August 2017. Over that year they have made or arranged £1.6bn of investments across of range of sectors including offshore and onshore wind, solar, and waste to energy. In addition, they have launched new green infrastructure advisory services out of their London and Edinburgh offices to support the growth of the global green economy, and have expanded their operations to encompass Asia and North America. They have also continued to engage proactively within the green investment community, such as publishing a comprehensive progress report in October 2018, holding or supporting a number of sectoral stakeholder events, and being a member of the Green Finance Institute’s Advisory Board.

Manufacturing Industries

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Brexit on just-in-time supply chains in the manufacturing sector.

lord henley: The Government recognises the critical role competitive extended manufacturing supply chains play in the UK economy – boosting inward investment, exports, job creation, productivity and value for local economies. We have are been assessing all aspects of supply chain impacts including ‘just-in-time’ systems. The government’s UK-EU Future Relationship White Paper proposes the establishment of a free trade area for goods, which would protect the uniquely integrated supply chains and ‘just-in-time’ processes that have developed across the UK and the EU. We are also continuing to review evidence to identify opportunities to make UK manufacturing supply chains stronger, more visible and efficient, and improve the offer to potential investors.

Green Deal Scheme: Appeals

lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Green Deal appeals have been received by the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy following an offer or refusal of compensation from the Green Deal Finance Company; and how many of those appeals have been decided.

lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government how long they expect the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to take to decide a Green Deal appeal following an offer or refusal from the Green Deal Finance Company; and how often that expectation has been met.

lord teverson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the (1) longest, and (2) average, length of time outstanding for appeals made to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy following an offer or refusal of compensation from the Green Deal Finance Company.

lord henley: The Department has put in place a robust process for handling complaints relating to one particular Green Deal Provider, HELMS. As part of this process, the Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC) has made offers to many consumers and over 100 customers have had their complaints accepted and agreed offers from GDFC. At the end of November, 61 appeals had been received by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy following an offer or refusal of compensation from the Green Deal Finance Company. Of these, one appeal has been decided. The longest length of time outstanding for these appeals is 13 months and the average time for outstanding appeals is eight months. The Department is committed to resolving those cases fairly and as quickly as possible. However, the complex and legal nature of the redress process prescribed by the Regulations and volume of information we receive from consumers means complaints take some time to resolve. The Department has obtained additional support to review cases in order to speed up the process and is aiming to address the backlog of appeals within the next few months.

Competition and Markets Authority

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impactof a no-deal Brexit on the resources of the Competition and Markets Authority.

lord henley: The Government is working closely with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on the implications for its work of the UK leaving the EU, and will continue to do so. The Government has allocated over £4bn for departmental preparations for EU Exit. The CMA was allocated £23.6 million in 2018/19 as part of this. HM Treasury has received the CMA’s bid for additional funding in 2019/20 and will announce further details of allocations in due course.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Pakistan: Chevening Scholarships Programme

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Chevening Scholarships have been awarded to citizens of Pakistan in each of the last five years; and ofthoserecipients, how many came from minority groups.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The table below shows the number of Chevening scholarships awarded to citizens of Pakistan in each of the last five years. The Government increased funding for the Chevening Programme in 2015. The Chevening Secretariat only gathers information on candidate ethnicity at the application stage, therefore the Department does not hold a record of Chevening Pakistan scholars by ethnicity. 2014-15172015-16682016-17742017-18612018-1962

Saudi Arabia: Textbooks

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Anti-Defamation League,Teaching Hate and Violence:Problematic Passages from Saudi State Textbooks for the2018–19 School Year, published on 20 November, and in particular the highlighting of school text books in Saudi Arabia that promote hatred against Jews, Christians, women, other Muslim sects and homosexual men; and what representations they are making to the government of Saudi Arabia about this issue.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Saudi Arabia remains a Foreign and Commonwealth Office human rights priority country, particularly because of the use of the death penalty, women's rights and restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion and belief. We raise our concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities using a range of ministerial and diplomatic channels of communication, including our Ambassador, the Embassy team and the European Union in Riyadh. A major component of Saudi Arabia’s V2030 is educational reform. As the Saudi Minister of Education recently commented this will take a number of years. In March we signed an MOU that will enable a partnership in developing educational curricula. Our bilateral relationship means we can engage constructively in a way that is sensitive to a country’s culture and history.

Burma: Human Rights

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the government of Burma to reform or repeal laws which are currently used to restrict civil society and media space, and prosecute journalists, civil society activists, human rights defenders and humanitarian aid workers in Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Government has been a consistent and vocal advocate of democratic freedoms in Burma, including freedom of expression. Our Ambassador to Burma met the Burmese Attorney-General on 9 August and made clear that freedom of the media was a vital safeguard in a democracy. When the Foreign Secretary met with Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 20 September in Naypyidaw, he underlined the UK's support for continued reforms related to democracy and political freedoms and raised the case of the two Reuters journalists who have been convicted under Burma's Official Secrets Act.

Burma: Religious Freedom

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representationsthey have made to the governments of Burma and China following violations of freedom of religion or belief in the Wa territory of Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government continues to be concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion and belief throughout Burma, but has not made specific representations on the situation in the Wa region to either the Government of Burma or the Government of China. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that called for the cessation of all violations and abuses of international human rights law in northern Burma and an inclusive and comprehensive national political dialogue with the objective of achieving lasting peace.

Burma: Sexual Offences

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to (1) prevent sexual violence in conflict, and (2) bring perpetrators of such crimes to justice in the Kachin and Shan states of Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​In September 2018 the UK co-sponsored the UN Human Rights Council Resolution which established a mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of human rights violations in Burma, including Kachin and Shan states, for use in future prosecutions. The Resolution also called for Burma's Commission of Inquiry to hold to account all those responsible for crimes committed during military operations in Rakhine State, including conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence. The UK supports a range of projects in Burma to build the capability of local groups to tackle sexual violence in conflict across Burma, including an English and Burmese guide for evidence gathering up to international standards, as captured in the International Protocol on the Documentation and Investigation of Sexual Violence in Conflict.

Burma: China

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on (1) land rights, (2) human rights, and (3) the environment, of investment and infrastructure development projects by China in northern Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Embassy maintains a dialogue with the Chinese Embassy in Burma about a wide range of issues, including respective investment and infrastructure development projects. However the Government has not made a specific assessment of the impact on (1) land rights, (2) human rights, or (3) the environment, of investment and infrastructure development projects by China in northern Burma.

Burma: Religious Freedom

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the government of Burma about freedom of religion or belief in Burma.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The British Government continues to be concerned about restrictions on freedom of religion and belief in Burma. The British Ambassador met the Burmese Minister for Religious Affairs on 9 August when he registered the UK's desire for further engagement with religious leaders engaged in interfaith dialogues in Burma. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that called for the amending or repealing of the discriminatory provisions of the set of "protection of race and religion laws" in Burma enacted in 2015 covering religious conversion, interfaith marriage, monogamy and population control.

Burma: Crimes against Humanity

baroness cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to seek accountability for alleged (1) war crimes and crimes against humanity against Kachin and Shan ethnic groups in northern Burma, and (2) genocide against the Rohingyas.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign Secretary made clear to Burma's State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi in their meeting of 20 September that holding to account those responsible for atrocities was of critical importance. The UK will continue to look at all accountability options and work with our international partners to support those assisting victims and building evidence. To this end, the UK played a leading role in securing the UN Human Rights Council Resolution of 27 September that established a mechanism to collect and preserve evidence of human rights violations in Burma for use in future prosecutions. The UK also ensured that the Chair of the UN Fact Finding Mission on Myanmar was invited to brief the UN Security Council on 24 October on its damning report on human rights violations and abuses in Rakhine, Shan and Kachin since 2011.

Burma: Rohingya

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the protection of the human rights of the Rohingya minority with the authorities in Myanmar; and what assessment they have made of Amnesty International's decision to strip Aung San Suu Kyi of the Ambassador of Conscience Award.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The Foreign Secretary met with Burmese State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi on 20 September in Burma and raised the importance of protection of human rights and the safe conditions for a dignified return of refugees to Rakhine State. The UK, working with EU partners and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, secured a UN Human Rights Council Resolution on 27 September that called for the amending or repealing of the discriminatory provisions of the set of "protection of race and religion laws" in Burma enacted in 2015 covering religious conversion, interfaith marriage, monogamy and population control. The Government respects the independence of Amnesty International, including in the matter of its decisions to grant and remove awards.

Russia: Ukraine

the marquess of lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to prevent any escalation of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, in addition to action taken through NATO and the UN.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Russia's actions are not in conformity with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2003 Russia-Ukraine bilateral agreement that provides free passage in the Sea of Azov and Kerch Strait, including for military ships. The UK has publically condemned Russia's aggressive actions and continues to call on Russia to immediately release the 24 detained service men and three vessels. The UK's full diplomatic network is engaged on an international response including through the UN Security Council, EU, NATO and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. We are working closely with Ukraine in all these international fora, and are in very close contact in Kyiv.

Bahrain: Human Rights

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL11289), whether they have taken into consideration the UN Special Rapporteurs’ concerns on Bahrain for reports pertaining to (1) infringements of the right to life, freedom from torture, freedom of religion and belief, and freedom of peaceful assembly of Fadhel Sayed Abbas Hassan Radhi, Mohamed Abdul Hasan Ahmed Al Mutaghawi, Sayed Alawi Husain Alawi Husain and three other individuals, (2) violations of the rights to life, liberty and security of person, freedom from torture and ill-treatment, and right to a fair trial of Maher Abbas Yousef al-Khabbaz, and (3) cruel and degrading treatment of Nabeel Rajab at Jau Prison.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The British Government takes note of a number of sources of information on these issues; including publications by the United Nations. We continue to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.The noble Lord will recall that the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa, Alistair Burt, expressed his concerns on the sentence given to Mr Rajab in his written statement of 21 February. He also reiterated the UK's call for Bahrain to protect freedom of expression for all its citizens, in line with international obligations. Our Embassy in Bahrain has closely monitored the trials of Mr Rajab and officials regularly attend Mr Rajab's court hearings, including the handing down of the latest appeal verdict. We have raised the case at senior levels as part of the UK's ongoing open dialogue with Bahrain. I am aware that there is now an opportunity for Mr Rajab's legal team to apply for an appeal through the judicial system. My officials will continue to monitor the case closely.The UK’s position on the use of the death penalty is longstanding and clear. We oppose its use in all circumstances and countries. The Government of Bahrain are fully aware of our position.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further tothe Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL11287), when, and with whom, the cases of female political prisoners Hajer Mansoor Hassan, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf were last raised with a member of the government of Bahrain.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: You will know from previous correspondence that our Embassy in Bahrain and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to monitor the cases of Hajer Mansoor, Najah Ahmed Yusuf and Medina Ali. We have raised the cases at a senior level with the Government of BahrainWe continue to encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body. We urge these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. We understand that the National Institution for Human Rights and the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman are aware of these cases and have been in contact with the three individuals​

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Bahraini political prisoners Ali Hajji and Naji Fateel undertaking a hunger strike in order to access urgent medical care; and what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain to ensure inmates are treated in line with international standards.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain are aware of the cases of Ali Hajji and Naji Fateel. We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.​

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL11288), how many of the individuals currently on death row in Bahrain have been sentenced on political grounds; and what are the names of the three individuals who have completed the appeals process.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We do not hold figures for the number of political prisoners in Bahrain. Details of individuals are a matter for the Government of Bahrain.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL11289),why the allegations of mistreatment reported by Bahraini female political prisoners, Hajer Mansoor Hassan, Medina Ali and Najah Yusuf, by Isa Town prison authorities have not been reported under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body. We urge these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such claims. We understand that the National Institution for Human Rights and the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman are aware of these cases and have been in direct contact with the three individuals.

Bahrain: Political Prisoners

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 November (HL11290), how the human rights impact and the effectiveness of the technical assistance programme to Bahrain is assessed if no figures are held for the number of political prisoners.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has provided numerous updates on its work in Bahrain in its annual Human Rights Reports. The UK has provided a range of technical assistance and will continue to support Bahrain to deliver its reform initiatives. Only by working with partners can we bring about the changes we would like to see.

Jerusalem: Migrant Camps

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Israel regarding recent demolitions in the Shufat refugee camp in East Jerusalem.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned by the demolition of 16 small businesses in Shufat Refugee Camp on 21 November. On 23 November the Minister for the Middle East and North Africa tweeted our concerns about these demolitions and the European Union issued a statement on 24 November. We are seriously concerned by the continued demolition of Palestinian property by Israeli authorities. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv repeatedly raise concerns about demolitions with Israeli Ministers and senior officials. In all but the most exceptional of circumstances demolitions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law.

Israel: Parks

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the bill currently in the Israeli Knesset to allow private non-profit organisations to manage national parks; and whether they intend to make representations to the government of Israel about the impact that bill may have on a two-state solution.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not made any assessment on this issue. The Government is committed to making progress towards a two-state solution, and we will continue to press the parties to refrain from actions that make peace more difficult.

Russia: Ukraine

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the governments of Russia and Ukraine to de-escalate rising tension in the Kerch Strait.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK's full diplomatic network is actively engaged on securing a united international response. The Foreign Secretary, in his statement on 26 November, condemned Russia's aggressive actions and their forcible seizure of the Ukrainian vessels and their crews. He called on the Russian Federation to ensure freedom of passage through the Kerch Strait and for the exercise of restraint. We have been clear through the UN, OSCE, EU and NATO that Russia must release the vessels and their crew. The UK continues to express its full support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders and territorial waters. Our Ambassador to the Ukraine has been actively engaging with the Ukrainian Government, including the Foreign Ministry, Defence Ministry and the Navy.

Ukraine: Military Law

lord truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to call upon the government of Ukraine to lift the imposition of martial law to ensure that forthcoming elections are free and fair.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​In response to Russian aggression, the Ukrainian Rada (parliament) adopted a law on 26 November on the approval of a Presidential Decree on the introduction of Martial Law. The law came into force for a fixed period of 30 days from 28 November and applies in 10 border regions. We welcome President Poroshenko's reassurances that martial law will not be used to restrict the rights and freedoms of Ukrainian citizens and that full mobilisation will only be considered in case of further Russian aggression. The UK continues to provide support for transparency and accountability through electoral reform in Ukraine, including technical assistance for reform of the Central Election Commission. We welcome the Ukrainian Parliament's resolution this week confirming Presidential elections will proceed as scheduled on 31 March 2019. We also welcome the President's assurances that he is actively seeking to ensure that community elections scheduled for 23 December can proceed as planned.

Israel: Palestinians

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the reported detention of over 900 Palestinian children from January to October 2018, 270 of whom were still detained as of the end of October; and what assessment they have made of whether those children have been denied education, family visits, and medical attention.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK is extremely concerned about the treatment of Palestinian children detained in Israeli prisons. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue at senior levels, and did so most recently on 29 October with the Israeli Ministry of Justice.

Jerusalem: Evictions

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the number of evictions of Palestinians from their homes in East Jerusalem to make way for Jewish settlers.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We regularly make clear our serious concerns about the situation in East Jerusalem to the Israeli authorities and the Municipality of Jerusalem, both bilaterally and in co-operation with EU partners. These concerns include: the evictions of Palestinians and demolition of Palestinian property; the construction of illegal Israeli settlements; removal of residency rights from Palestinians; possible unilateral changes to the municipal borders; and severe difficulties of access to Jerusalem for Palestinians from the West Bank, or for those residents of Jerusalem who live beyond the Separation Barrier. The EU issued a statement on 24 November raising concerns over this issue.

Hebron: Pre-school Education

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the reported ban by Israeli authoritieson the renovation of a Palestinian kindergarten near the Ibrahami Mosque in the Old City of Hebron.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We have not raised this specific issue with the Israeli authorities.

Israel: Gaza

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about (1) its live fire policy towards protesters in Gaza, and (2) the number of wounded Palestinian adults and children.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are concerned at the high numbers of Palestinians killed and injured by the Israel Defence Forces in the West Bank and Gaza. We have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about its conduct in its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and we encourage the Israeli authorities to carry out transparent investigations into whether the use of live fire has been appropriate. We are also concerned that Hamas and its operatives have been exploiting the protests for their own purposes. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa regularly discusses the situation in Gaza with the Israeli Ambassador to the UK, and did so most recently on 11 October.

Saudi Arabia: Political Prisoners

lord hoyle: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether Saudi Arabia continues to hold political prisoners, detained indefinitely in the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh and elsewhere in that country; and if so, whether they will consider imposing sanctions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of media reports that a number of individuals remain in detention. We continue to raise our concerns about human rights in Saudi Arabia, including on the restrictions of freedom of expression.

Cameroon: Armed Conflict

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Cameroon about the killing of Father Cosmas Ondari; and what steps they are taking with that government to end the violence in English-speaking Cameroon.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We were saddened by the reports of Father Ondari's death and send our deepest condolences to his family. All missionaries and humanitarian workers should be able to work and support communities safely. The UK is deeply concerned about the situation in Cameroon and the deteriorating security situation in the Anglophone regions of the country. The Minister for Africa made a statement following the elections in Cameroon, calling for all parties to engage in a peaceful and structured process leading to constitutional reforms, as previously set out by the President, and to bring an end to the violence. The UK will continue to work alongside the international community to encourage and support efforts to resolve the Anglophone crisis.

Cameroon: Armed Conflict

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) response of the government of Cameroon to the initiative by leaders of the Catholic and Presbyterian churches in that country, and the Central mosques of Bamenda and Buea for an Anglophone General Conference, and (2) prospects of a peaceful settlement to the conflict between anglophone and francophone Cameroons.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​The UK supports calls for the Government of Cameroon to engage in a substantive dialogue with the Anglophone community to tackle the crisis in the Anglophone regions. In this regard we welcome the initiative of the Anglophone General Conference and those put forward by a range of religious groups to promote an inclusive process of national dialogue that addresses the core issues.The UK is deeply concerned at the deteriorating violence and displacement of civilians in the Anglophone regions of Cameroon. It is vital the Government of Cameroon urgently engages in a meaningful dialogue.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their current assessment of the situation in Idlib Province, Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Our current assessment is that the ceasefire agreement in Idlib, agreed by Turkey and Russia on 17 September, is holding but fragile, with some increase in violence in recent weeks. The humanitarian situation remains poor with much of the population dependent on cross-border humanitarian assistance. We continue to support Turkey's diplomatic efforts and call on all sides to abide by the ceasefire and to facilitate humanitarian access.

Syria: Armed Conflict

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what prospects they foresee for successful international and local ceasefire negotiations leading to arms control, safe passage for internally displaced people and access for humanitarian personnel and supplies in Idlib Province, Syria.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We welcome the diplomatic efforts by Turkey to avoid a military offensive by the Syrian regime in Idlib province. The ceasefire agreed between Turkey and Russia on 17 September is holding but fragile. We were also encouraged by the joint statement, agreed by the leaders of Germany, France, Turkey and Russia at their summit on Syria on 27 October, which called for a "lasting ceasefire" in Idlib as well as "rapid, safe and unhindered access" for humanitarian agencies throughout Syria and conditions to be created for the "safe and voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced persons". We have, however, yet to see significant progress towards implementation of these commitments by Russia and the Syrian regime.

Bahrain: Capital Punishment

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain about the two individuals who were sentenced to death on 29 November on alleged terrorism-related charges; and whether any British officials attended their trial.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​Officials from the British Embassy regularly attend court hearings of cases of interest to the UK. We continue to monitor the cases referred to in your question. The UK's position on the use of the death penalty is longstanding and clear. We oppose its use in all circumstances and countries. The Government of Bahrain are fully aware of our position.

Bahrain: Nationality

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they had with the government of Bahrain about that government reportedly revoking the citizenship of 805 individuals since 2012; whether they consider there is a trend to the rate of revocations; and what assessment they made of any such trend.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I refer the Noble Lord to my answer to question HL11328 which reiterated our concerns on the revocation of nationality where this leads to individuals becoming stateless. The Government of Bahrain are aware of our concerns on this matter and the British Government raises these concerns with them on a regular basis at all levels both in Manama and London. We will continue to do so.

Department of Health and Social Care

Multiple Births

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord O'Shaughnessy on 14November (HL11166) relating to continued financial support of the quality improvement programmedelivered by the Twins and Multiple Births Association which currently ends in March 2019, whenthey expect to confirm their business plans for future grant funding.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department’s Business Planning process takes place annually between December and March each year. Expenditure, including any awards made through grant funding, cannot be confirmed until the Business Planning process has been concluded and budgets for the relevant financial year approved. Opportunities to apply for grant funding from the Department are posted on GOV.UK as they arise.Since the Twins and Multiple Births Association’s (TAMBA) award in 2015/16, funding to the voluntary sector has been reshaped and the Innovation, Excellence and Strategic Development Fund, under which TAMBA received their award, no longer accepts applications.The successor scheme is the Health and Wellbeing Fund, the second round of which was recently launched for applications. The theme of this round relates to children and young people’s mental health. However, the Department’s Business Planning for 2019/20 has not yet concluded, and therefore the scheme remains subject to the approval of departmental budgets and its launch does not commit the Department to the funding of any grant awards.

Gambling

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what training NHS England provided for GPs to support those affected by gambling-related harm in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, (3) 2015, (4) 2016, (5) 2017, and (6) 2018; and what plans they have to increase the level of training provided.

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many of the trips to a hospital or safe place made by the police or ambulance crews were connected with gambling problems associated with mental health in (1) 2013, (2) 2014, (3) 2015, (4) 2016, (5) 2017, and (6) 2018.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England is not responsible for the provision of general practitioner training. The standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC) and the training curricula for postgraduate trainee doctors is set by the relevant medical Royal College, which has to meet standards set by the GMC. Whilst curricula do not necessarily highlight specific conditions for doctors to be aware of, they instead emphasise the skills and approaches that a doctor must develop to ensure accurate and timely diagnoses and treatment plans for their patients. NHS England expects clinicians to use their professional judgement with patients presenting with particular symptoms and keep up to date with current developments and treatments.Information on the number of trips to a hospital or safe place made by police or ambulance crews connected with gambling associated with mental health are not collected centrally.

Perinatal Mortality

baroness hodgson of abinger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of NHS England's estimate that 600 stillbirths could be prevented annually as a result of implementation of the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle; and whether any such assessment has taken account of the failure to include within the Saving Babies' Lives Care Bundle a specific element on twin and multiple births and the higher rates of mortality that occur in twin and multiple births.

lord o'shaughnessy: The Department welcomes the independent Saving Babies’ Lives Project Impact and Results Evaluation (SPiRE), published earlier this year and commissioned by NHS England.The report found that maternity staff have helped save more than 160 babies’ lives across 19 maternity units where the Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle had been implemented. The best practice guidance is now being introduced across the country and has the potential if these findings were replicated, to prevent an estimated 600 stillbirths.In 2017, the Department funded the Twins and Multiple Births Association’s Maternity Engagement Project. The results from the interim report suggest that increased adherence to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance gave better outcomes for multiple births. This further reinforces the Department’s expectation that all health professionals working with multiple pregnancies adhere to the relevant NICE guidance. We look forward to reviewing the final project report, which we understand is due for publication in mid-2019.

Secure Psychiatric Units

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to address the lack of secure NHS facilities for offenders who are suffering from mental illness.

lord o'shaughnessy: We recognise that there are high numbers of people in prison with mental ill health, and it is essential that they are treated in the most appropriate environment for their needs. Whilst some prisoners may be mentally unwell, and despite sometimes complex emotional and behavioural needs, it may not be clinically appropriate for them to be transferred to a mental health inpatient bed. There may be other services more appropriate to their needs that can be delivered outside inpatient mental health facilities. However, work is underway to improve mental health services for offenders. NHS England is focussing on an offender mental health pathway which will ensure that offenders are directed to the most appropriate intervention to their needs at the right time in the criminal justice system. NHS England is carrying out a service review across all adult high, medium and low secure services. The service review is considering a number of issues including the future demand and capacity required against a number of criteria, levels of security, gender, service type and geographical location. A detailed understanding of difficulties in the system in relation to remissions from hospital to prison is being considered so that access, egress and throughput are all improved. This is vital to ensuring that the appropriate capacity is planned for the future. New service specifications have been published for both low and medium secure hospitals as well as prison mental health services. The Prison Mental Health Specification embeds the Quality Standards for Prison Mental Health Services developed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists to ensure high quality care for all. Draft Guidance for Timely and Appropriate Transfers and Remissions of care to and from a mental health hospital is currently in production.

Health Services: Maximum Security Prisons

lord stevens of kirkwhelpington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the care needs of the increasing number of older prisoners held in high security facilities.

lord o'shaughnessy: NHS England is responsible for commissioning physical and mental health care in the high security hospitals in England. The hospitals provide a range of services tailored towards an individual patient’s needs, which includes the care needs of older patients. Each patient has an individualised care plan which includes consideration of age and physical care needs. Occupational therapists lead on the assessment of physical disability and on addressing issues with appropriate aids and adaptations to suit the specific needs of each patient.

Department for Education

Teachers: Pensions

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the ability of maintained and independent schools to afford the increase in the employer’s contribution to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme announced in October.

lord agnew of oulton: In the schools sector, the department currently proposes to cover the costs of maintained schools, academies, independent special schools and non-maintained special schools. The department will be consulting shortly to form an assessment on the impact these costs will impose on the sector.

Teachers: Pensions

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received representations from the Independent Schools Council about the forthcoming increase in the employer’s contribution to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme; and if so, what reply they have given.

lord agnew of oulton: The government has received a number of representations from employer representatives including the Independent Schools Council, to both the Department for Education (DfE) and to Her Majesty’s Treasury (HM Treasury), about the proposed increase in employer contributions and the impact this would have on their schools. HM Treasury and the DfE will be responding imminently.

Teachers: Pensions

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were their reasons for increasing the employer’s contribution to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme.

lord agnew of oulton: A number of factors determine the cost of providing pensions, most significantly by the Superannuation Contributions Adjusted for Past Experience (SCAPE) rate. The SCAPE discount rate is the central measure of the affordability of public service pension schemes; it is based on the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecasts for long-term Growth Domestic Product growth. In light of the material change to the OBR forecast compared to the forecast at Budget 2016, and based on the methodology for setting the SCAPE rate as agreed in 2011,  HM Treasury took the decision to set the SCAPE discount rate at 2.4% plus Consumer Price Index from 1 April 2019. This reduction in the SCAPE rate has resulted in an increase to employer contributions in the Teachers Pension Scheme of 7.2 percentage points.[1] [1] based on an implementation date of 1 September 2019.

Special Educational Needs: Appeals

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 22 November (HL Deb, cols 325–8), whether they will conduct an inquiry into reports that local councils spent £100 million in four years to prevent parents obtaining support for children with special needs, losing nine out of ten cases.

lord lexden: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Viscount Younger of Leckie on 22 November (HL Deb, cols 325–8), whether they will ensure that all local councils respect the right of parents of children with special needs to nominate a local independent school on an education health and care plan.

lord agnew of oulton: The government does not have any plans to conduct such an inquiry. The government has made fundamental changes to the way the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) support system works for families. The system is now more person-centred with significant direction given to local authorities, and other bodies, to engage effectively with families. Local authorities should respond appropriately to any SEND Tribunal appeal. In doing so, they will inevitably incur costs. When families make appeals, the local authority will need to judge how to respond to them and in doing so, must put the interests of the child or young person first. The government are investing £20 million until March 2020 to improve the quality of local information, advice and support services available to families, and to provide guidance and training to local authorities to help improve the quality of education, health and care (EHC) plans. Parents have the right to ask that an independent school, approved under Section 41 of the Children and Families Act (2014) and published in a list available to all parents and young people, be named on their EHC plan. The local authority must, after consultation with the school, name the requested school unless specific criteria apply. These conditions are that the school would be unsuitable for the young person’s needs, incompatible with the efficient education of others or an inefficient use of the local authority’s resources. Parents may also make representations for a place at an independent school that is not on the Section 41 list and the local authority must consider their request. While not under the same conditional duty to name the provider, the local authority must have regard to the general principle that children should be educated in accordance with their parents’ wishes if this is compatible with the provision of efficient instruction and does not cause unreasonable public expenditure.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Council Tax: Non-payment

lord ramsbotham: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to bring England into line with the rest of the UK by removing the sanction of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: Imprisonment should only ever be the last resort for non-payment of council tax. Before a magistrates’ court commits someone to prison for failure to pay their council tax, it must inquire as to the debtor’s means, and satisfy itself that failure to pay is due to “wilful refusal or culpable neglect”. This is to prevent persons who are genuinely unable to pay their council tax from being committed to prison. The Government does not have any plans to change the current arrangements.

Religious Hatred: Islam

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider Islamophobia to be a form of racism; and if so, whether they will adopt a definition of Islamophobia comparable to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s definition of antisemitism.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Government takes the issue of Islamophobia extremely seriously. The Prime Minister made this unequivocally clear after the Finsbury Park Mosque terror attack in 2017.The Government is committed to tackling all hate crime, and to taking the issues of anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia forward. It is now of vital importance that we hear a range of views on the proposed definition.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to theDraft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, which aspects of social security will be co-ordinated with the EU.

baroness buscombe: The details of which aspects of social security will be coordinated with the EU under the future relationship are subject to further negotiation with the EU.

Social Security Benefits: Domestic Violence

baroness lister of burtersett: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Bill for Survivors, published by Women’s Aid, and its proposal that they should have a statutory duty to “assess all welfare reforms for their impact on survivors’ ability to escape abuse”.

baroness buscombe: The Government recognises that domestic abuse is a devastating crime that shatters the lives of victims and families. It is vital that the response to domestic abuse supports victims and survivors, pursues perpetrators and ensures agencies provide an effective service. The Government will be publishing a landmark draft Domestic Abuse Bill, which will help transform our response to the crime. We will have pledged to create a statutory Government definition of domestic abuse, introduce new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders and establish a Domestic Abuse Commissioner. DWP policies are subject to appraisal and impact assessment in line with HM Treasury Green Book guidance. The Department is required under the Public Sector Equality Duty to assess the impact of specific policies on ‘protected groups’ including by gender, age, race and disability, and where relevant this requirement is met by the conducting of equality impact assessments. We have no current plans separately to consider domestic abuse.

Home Office

Deportation: Skilled Workers

lord beecham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what requests they have received to provide compensation to skilled migrants wrongly forced to leave the UK under terrorism related legislation; whether they have provided any response to such requests; and if not, whether, and when, they will respond.

baroness williams of trafford: Without accessing individual case files, we are unable to identify how many such requests have been received to date. Each case is being looked at on its merits and we will consider any compensation where appropriate

Child Sexual Abuse Independent Panel Inquiry

lord campbell-savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed with IICSA whether it intends to review the continuation of the Janner strand following the publication of the Independent Office for Police Conduct report.

baroness williams of trafford: The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse operates independently of Government, and its independence is crucial to its effectiveness. It is for the Inquiry to decide, within its terms of reference, what to investigate and how.The IICSA stated its intention to continue to keep under review the investigation into the institutional responses to allegations involving Lord Janner in its determination notices in April 2017 and May 2017. These notices can be found at https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1363/view/2017-04-11noticeofdetermination.pdf and https://www.iicsa.org.uk/key-documents/1386/view/notice-determination-3-may-2017.pdf.



Notice of Determination - April 2017
(PDF Document, 100.92 KB)




Notice of Determination - May 2017
(PDF Document, 236.39 KB)

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government which biometric and other data that will be stored on the central register of EU citizens who have applied for, or been granted, settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be shared with other public and private organisations in the UK and overseas; and with which organisationssuch information may be shared.

baroness williams of trafford: Biometrics enrolled as part of an application to the EU Settlement Scheme will be stored and used in accordance with the rules set by Parliament as set out within the Immigration (Physical Data) Regulations 2006, as amended. This includes sharing biometrics with other law enforcement organisations to prevent, detect and prosecute crime and in the interest of national security. Further information on this is set out in the Borders, Immigration and Citizenship privacy information notice: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/personal-information-use-in-borders-immigration-and-citizenship/borders-immigration-and-citizenship-privacy-information-notice.Those granted status under the EU Settlement Scheme can access information about their immigration status and entitlements via a secure online service. This includes their name, status information and their facial image. Individuals can then choose to grant access to this information to employers and other service providers. By giving individuals direct access to their own data – and the ability to share this with service providers we are giving them greater transparency, clarity and control. With online services, we can also ensure that service providers see only the information that is relevant and proportionate to their need, in a way that is not possible via a single document as evidence of status.

Immigration: EU Nationals

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether biometric and other data that has been supplied as part of applications for settled status by EU citizens under the EU Settlement Scheme will be deleted in the case of persons whose applications have been rejected; and if so, at what point such deletion will take place.

baroness williams of trafford: Biometrics enrolled as part of an application to EU Settlement Scheme will be retained in accordance with the Immigration (Physical Data) Regulations 2006, as amended. In practice, this means that fingerprints will normally be retained for up to 10 years, unless the person has settled status or is considered to be a risk of high harm to the UK.All fingerprints are deleted from the Immigration and Asylum Biometric System when the person becomes a British citizen. Facial images may be retained until the person becomes a British citizen and obtains a British passport. Biometrics may only be retained as long as the Secretary of State considers it is necessary to retain them for use in connection with the exercise of a function by virtue of the Immigration Acts or a function in relation to nationality.

Immigration

lord jones of cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the white paper on immigration.

baroness williams of trafford: We will publish a White Paper outlining proposals for the future border and immigration system shortly.

Migrant Workers

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to attract more highly skilled workers to the UK.

baroness williams of trafford: The Government continues to welcome high skilled workers to the UK and recognises the valuable contribution they make to the UK economy and our society. We plan to publish more details about our future immigration arrangements in a White Paper later this year.

Immigration Controls

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, published on 22 November, how "short-term visits" in relation to visa-free travel will be defined.

baroness williams of trafford: The mobility section of the Political Declaration on our Future Framework with the EU sets out our intention to provide for visa-free travel for short term visits.The detail of how the mobility provisions will apply under the future relationship will be for further negotiation with the EUUnder current UK immigration rules, a visitor is a person who is coming to the UK, usually for up to six months, for a temporary purpose, for example as a tourist, to visit friends or family or to carry out a business activity. Visitors cannot work or study in the UK unless this is allowed by the permitted activities that are set out in the Visitor Rules.We plan to publish a White Paper setting out the future border and immigration system later this year.

Cabinet Office

Digital Mapping

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they place restrictions and conditions on commercial bodies developing high definition mapping databases of UK cities and countryside; and if so, what are those restrictions and conditions.

lord young of cookham: There are no restrictions on the creation of mapping databases of the UK and the government does not formally monitor such projects.

Public Sector: Procurement

lord wigley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Political Declaration setting out the framework for the future relationship between the UK and the EU, what consultation was undertaken with the devolved governments of Wales and Scotland in relation to the statement on multiple opportunities in public procurement markets.

lord young of cookham: Cabinet Office officials regularly engage with the devolved administrations on Brexit-related issues at fortnightly ‘operational readiness’ meetings. In addition roundtable discussions and teleconferences alongside other Government Departments have been held at various dates throughout 2018 with Devolved Authorities officials as required.

Department for International Trade

JCB: Israel

baroness tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the supply, and use, of JCB bulldozers in Israel; and what discussions they have had with JCB about such supply and use.

baroness fairhead: Where JCB equipment is subject to export controls the exporter must have a licence authorising shipment. All export licence applications are assessed rigorously against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to consider the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities. The Government will not grant a licence if to do so would be inconsistent with these criteria, including respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.The British Government is fully committed to the promotion of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. The UK government has had discussions with JCB on a range of subjects and continues to encourage and foster respect for human rights among UK businesses.

UK Trade with EU

lord jopling: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) on 26 November (HL Deb, col 511), whether, under the proposed free trade deals after the end of the transitional period, goods whichare imported into the UK tariff-free from non-EU states under those deals, would be liable to the EU's Common External Tariff when they and similar goods produced in the UK are exported to the EU andwould be within the definition of the EU's tariff arrangements.

baroness fairhead: The Political Declaration states that the future economic partnership between the UK and EU “should ensure no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors”. It also states that “It should facilitate trade and investment between the Parties to the extent possible, while respecting the integrity of the Union's Single Market and the Customs Union as well as the United Kingdom's internal market, and recognising the development of an independent trade policy by the United Kingdom beyond this economic partnership.” Goods exported from the UK to the EU following the transition period will be subject to arrangements that are consistent with these objectives and principles.

Trade Agreements: USA

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to reach a free trade agreement with the United States after Brexit; and what impact they estimatea no-deal Brexit would have on trade relations with the United States.

baroness fairhead: The United States is already our largest trading partner outside the European Union. The UK and US have a close relationship in terms of our trade, financial, cultural and investment links. After leaving the EU in March 2019 we will be able to pursue an ambitious Free Trade Agreement with the US. In July 2017 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group which has since met on five occasions. As well as looking at delivering commercial continuity for UK and US businesses, workers and consumers post-EU exit, this group is laying the groundwork for an ambitious UK-US free Trade Agreement. Our priority is to ensure there is no disruption to our global trading relationships as we leave the EU. The government will continue to prepare for all eventualities with our trading partners, including the US.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Social Media: Regulation

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans, if any, they have for the regulation of social media companies.

lord ashton of hyde: The government is publishing a White Paper on Online Harms this winter, as a precursor to legislation. This White Paper will set out a range of legislative and non-legislative measures detailing how we will tackle online harms and will set clear responsibilities for social media companies and others to keep UK citizens safe.

Gambling: Children

baroness howe of idlicote: To ask Her Majesty's Government, on the basis of Gambling Commission's research study, Young People and Gambling, published in November, what is the problem gambling rate for children and young people who gamble by (1) playing fruit machines in pubs, (2) online, (3) buying scratchcards, (4) private bets; and (5) cards with their friends; and how those rates compare with the problem gambling rates for adults in Great Britain.

baroness howe of idlicote: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the 1.7 per cent of 11–16 year olds identified as problem gamblers by the Gambling Commission's research study, Young People and Gambling, published in November, what proportion are engaged in gambling activities regulated by the Gambling Act 2005.

baroness howe of idlicote: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the 1.7 per cent of 11–16 year olds identified as problem gamblers by the Gambling Commission's research study,Young People and Gambling, published in November, what proportion are legally playing the National Lottery.

baroness howe of idlicote: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the 1.7 per cent of 11–16 year olds identified as problem gamblers by the Gambling Commission's research study,Young People and Gambling, published in November, what proportion have problem gambling behaviour associated with private bets.

lord ashton of hyde: The Gambling Commission’s Young People & Gambling 2018 report was based on a survey completed by 2,865 children in schools in England, Scotland and Wales. Of these, 37 children were identified as problem gamblers. The data was then weighted by gender, age and region. Where sample sizes for an age group were particularly small (for example, only 66 children aged 16 completed the survey, of which two were identified as problem gamblers) these children had large weights in the final dataset. Estimates about rates or numbers of problem gamblers should therefore be treated with caution. Due to the small numbers both of children participating in any given gambling activity, and of problem gamblers identified by the survey, it is not possible to provide robust problem gambling rates on a per activity basis, including for those legally playing the National Lottery. Of the 37 respondents identified as problem gamblers, 33 had on at least one occasion in the past 12 months spent their own money on an activity which is regulated under the Gambling Act 2005.

Gambling: Internet

lord chadlington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) Belgium's decision to ban loot boxes in online games, and (2) the social impact adopting a similar policy would have on reducing gambling related harm in the UK.

lord ashton of hyde: Loot boxes do not fall under gambling law where the in-game items acquired are confined for use within the game and cannot be cashed out. However, the Government is aware of concerns that entertainment products, such as some video games, could encourage gambling-like behaviour, and will continue to look closely at any evidence around this issue. We welcome the recent introduction by the VSC Ratings Board and PEGI of a new label for video games to warn parents where they include the opportunity to make in-game purchases. The Gambling Commission, as the regulator for gambling in Great Britain, has strong powers and can take action where it needs to address emerging risks. In September 2018, the Gambling Commission published a declaration signed by 16 gambling regulators, which outlined common concerns around gaming and gambling. The regulators agreed to work together to monitor the characteristics of video games and social gaming and where there is potential cross-over into gambling.